ART for Zero

Queen - Cairine Reay Wilson

Queen - Cairine Reay Wilson

75.00

By Shiome Hrynyk

Queen - Cairine Reay Wilson Size 23" by 33"

Poster Mounted on 1" Card

Delivery Time: 1 week within Alberta; Up to 6 weeks outside Alberta

My Queen is Cairine Reay Wilson. Best known for being the first female senator in Canada, Cairine Wilson was also Canada’s first female delegate to UN and our first female deputy speaker. She contributed a great deal to the fight for the right's of women, children and refugees. Cairine stood out in her time by not conceding to " the gender role or expectations of women". Instead of pouring tea and entertaining she joined the women's rights movement, she dressed in a way that represented her beliefs and took on a powerful voice in the community.

When I began this project was drawn towards using symbolism but as I learnt more about my queen I really wanted to capture what she stood for in a more literal way. The blue dress represents the dress she wore when she was sworn in. This was an defining choice for her as she was pressured to wear an evening gown, she refused and chose a long sleeved blue day dress. She wanted to be seen as a professional serious individual. While researching Cairine and the positions she held throughout her life I found the symbol of the speakers authority, The Mace. It’s a big ornate golden sceptre that they bring out at every sitting of the House of commons. The picture behind her represents the house of commons in Ottawa, this is where she fought for divorce legislation and fought for women's rights in the workplace.

The art style used in this piece is a thirty's cartoon style. I started with several pencil sketches and slowly developed her features, clothing, outline of the room and its contents. Once I completed that I pulled the sketches into Adobe Illustrator and added flat colours. I added the texture and depth I in Adobe Photoshop.

“Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well.” Aretha Franklin

Ribbon Rouge #8 is QUEEN!

Our theme this year explores powerful women; women of vision and unsung heroes in our communities and globally. “Unruly” women who broke away from the status quo…bothered people…shook up the system and birthed social revolutions. To their various capacities, these women used whatever they had to be the difference and they inspire us to become our own brands of heretics. A few of them have worked directly in HIV relief efforts, others have put in tremendous efforts to further women’s rights. In all, their efforts have directly or indirectly contributed to progress on gender equity, which in turn, contributes to getting to Zero HIV.

These Queens inspire us to each cause a RUCKUS!

…To get out in front and create our own tribes, our own movements for positive change. To believe in ourselves, as such inspire others to do the same.

Ribbon Rouge #8 presents these women, their ideas, their thoughts…feelings to you through the night.